Finally he's proposed a public pension reform plan that goes in the right direction.

When he was elected California's oldest governor last November, Jerry Brown wasn't the same man as "Governor Moonbeam," the state's youngest governor (1975-83). In the meanwhile he'd spent time in a Zen monastery, run for president, served as state attorney general and, most importantly, as an effective mayor of Oakland where he had to deal with the reality of everyday problems.

More than a few longtime Brown watchers among Republicans thought he might be the only person who, as governor, could get the state's largest special interest, the public employee unions, to swallow hard and accept reform of the state's deficit-laden pension system.

For most of the year he has tacked a little left, then a little right to get things done. Now, he has finally proposed a public pension reform plan that definitely goes in the right direction -- if only he can sell it to a legislature top-heavy with Democrats. Many of these Democrats are indebted to the lobbyists of the public employee unions. Brown, of course, knows this. Some of the features in Brown's 12-point plan are these:

• Increasing the retirement age from 55 to 67 (with a lower age to be spelled out for public safety workers).

• Replacing the current "defined benefit" pensions with a hybrid program that includes a defined benefit component, but also a 401(k)-like defined contribution component to which the employee would pay. This would have the effect of reducing the creation of unfunded liabilities.

• Prohibiting retroactive pension increases.

• Ending "spiking" in which an employee's salary is inflated in his/her final years in order to swell the size of the pension.

• Requiring all employees to contribute at least 50 percent of the cost of their pensions (they now pay nothing).

Unaccountably, the Brown plan omits any reference to the separate California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS), which has its own $56 billion unfunded liability. It will soon be rattling a tin cup in the capitol for a handout which, by law, must be approved by both the legislature and governor.

Democratic legislators gave the introduction of Brown's plan a tepid response, which was warmer than the wary one given by the public employee unions. The unions argue, as they long have done, that collective bargaining is the right way to deal with such matters. Translation: stand pat.

The state's nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office, on the other hand, praised the Brown plan, especially the 401(k)-style savings plan and the rise in the retirement age.

What are Brown's chances with the legislature? The plan will get its first review by a legislative committee on December 1. A relatively small issue such as prevention of "spiking" might pass, but resistance will be very strong against making other features apply to current employees. Chances are better for some of the more sweeping changes to apply only to new hires. Yet, if the reforms only affect new employees, it will take years for substantial savings to be felt, while the shortfall is here now -- $500 billion worth.

Brown is no stranger to maneuvering. He has raised the suggestion of asking the legislature to put on the November 2012 ballot a referendum to provide new rules for the 3,000-plus public pension plans in the state. In other words, let the people decide. To make this happen, he would need a two-thirds vote of the legislature.

Meanwhile, two groups of Republican activists are considering ballot initiatives to make more sweeping reforms than Brown has proposed. The very threat of a successful signature-gathering campaign resulting in a citizens' initiative may be enough to scare the legislature into accepting much of Brown's plan or, alternatively, his referendum idea. The unions remember Proposition 13 in 1978 and how it upended the state's property taxing, If there is anything they fear it is the possibility of a citizen initiative qualifying for the ballot and being voted on by millions of voters sick of deficits, recessions, and overly generous public employee pensions.

__________________

Peter Hannaford was closely associated with the late President Reagan, including serving as director of public affairs in the California Governor's office. His latest book, Reagan's Roots, will be published on December 1.

Among other things, 11.11.11 will be:
... Armistice Day, celebrated around the world.
... A day of spiritual significance for those who believe the number 11 has a mystical power.
... A very special day to get married or have a birthday (especially if it's your 11th).
... Perhaps even the end of the world, according to some 'prophecy' web forums.

The reason the date is so unusual is that 11.11.11 is the only double-figure palindromic date, since there is no 22nd month.

But a lot of Perry's problems go back to the fundamentals of his campaign. He started late, without the years of preparing that other candidates have done, and hasn't gotten himself into tip-top campaigning shape with a heavy schedule of speaking and taking questions at town halls. That's the kind of work that allows candidates to give fluid answers to almost any question. And on Wednesday night, Perry paid a high price for not doing it.

In an off-mic situation, Obama and Sarkozy are discovered not to trust Netanyahu, and Sarkozy went so far as to call him a liar. Not only did Obama refuse to defend him, but chimed in by saying he has to "deal" with the Israeli prime minister every day.

The disdain of these two world leaders for their ally was apparent. It is also apparent that the president's support of Israel publicly is only a facade.

I truly hope the American people are taking serious notes now that they have finally seen our president's true feelings about Israel and the fact that the uneasiness that has been created since Obama's tenure is deep-seated and very personal.

So Obama can continue to give hollow speeches trying to ease the concerns of his Jewish constituency, but alas the dirty laundry is out in the open for everyone to see and finally understand....

Yet according to LexisNexis, in the over 20 months between the time Obama announced his candidacy in February 2007 to Election Day 2008, MSNBC offered viewers seventeen stories concerning Ayers, nine involving Wright, and none dealing with Rezko.

Order delicious Thanskgiving and Christmas treats from the Humboldt Republican Party. For Thanksgiving we have tempting freshly-baked pumpkin pies. For Christmas, homemade pumpkin and pecan pies, cinnamon rolls and treat-filled gift baskets from Eureka’s Bella Baskets*, especially made up for us to offer you. (click image above to embiggen)

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

◼ End the David Axelrod Debating Society Now - Roger L Simon/PJM
The Cain-Gingrich tete-a-tete was already by far the most interesting debate and that could be used as the template. Besides debating each other, the three should pledge to spend a significant portion, maybe the majority, of their time attacking and dissecting Obama and his administration. He is the principal opposition and the real reason – they should always remember — that they are there. The more they forget that, the more they put our republic in jeopardy for their own ambitions. Defeating Obama is more important than any one of them as individuals.

With only three candidates (or two, if scandal overtakes Cain) there will plenty of time for actual discussion. Some of it might even be enlightening to the public and offer some genuine solutions in this extraordinarily difficult time. The current symphony of gaffes, gotchas and sound bites obviously does the reverse.

60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft asked Pelosi whether it was a conflict of interest for she and her husband to participate in a large IPO deal from Visa at a time there was major legislation affecting credit card companies making its way through Congress.

Perry: And I will tell you, it is three agencies of government when i get there that are gone. Commerce, Education, and the — what's the third one there? Let's see...Okay. Commerce, Education, and the —"Ron Paul: EPA?Perry: EPA, there you go.Moderator: Seriously -- is epa one you are talking about?Perry: No, sir, no, sir. we are talking about the -- agencies of government -- EPA needs to be rebuilt. >>Moderator: you can't -- you can't name the third one?Perry: The third agency of government I would -- I would do away with Education, the -- >> Commerce...Commerce and, let's see. I can't. The third one, I can't. Sorry. Oops.About 15 minutes later, Perry said "It was the Department of Energy that I was reaching for before."

Herman Cain is running for the presidency of the United States of America. If conservatives aren't willing to scrutinize and vet their own now, the other side will be delighted to do so for them...after the primary. If -- if -- the Cain campaign is going to implode under the weight of its candidate's imperfections and its institutional incompetence, better now than later.

So many conservative blogs and Twitterers are joining in the hysteria directed at the Cain campaign because campaign manager Mark Block erroneously stated last night that the son of accuser Sharon Kraushaar works at Politico. I heard it when he said it on the Hannity show, but it turns out that the person Block was referring to has the same last name but is not her son and does not work at Politico anymore.

Our Guy is in a fight, getting pounded like hell by our common enemy and, instead of sitting around wringing our hands about the niceties of tactics, we ought to be jumping into the fight and pounding the hell out of Our Guy’s attackers. Whatever the ultimate fate of Our Guy, we cannot rally people to our cause by appearing to be weak.

The reason is: we’re the good guys. We have to do what’s right. The left doesn’t. Sorry, but that’s the way it works. It’s the price you pay for defending what’s true and good, the price of holding yourself to a high moral standard. Our politicians have to be better than their politicians. Our journalists have to be more honest. Even our protesters have to behave with decorum and decency—and still suffer being slandered—while theirs can act like animals and commit acts of violence and lawlessness and spew anti-semitic filth and still find themselves excused and glorified.

The good guy doesn’t always win just because you want him to. And though you can feel noble about being the honorable one, honor is no substitute for the loss of freedom, increased government regulation, and economic woes that our country will suffer if the left wins on election day.

The emails are between George Kaiser, a fundraiser for President Barack Obama, and two officials with his venture capital firm Argonaut Private Equity, and the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

In a Feb. 27, 2010 email, Ken Levit, executive director of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, described reaction from unnamed officials in Vice President Joe Biden's office during a meeting about stimulus funding to Steve Mitchell, managing director of Argonaut.

"They about had an orgasm in Biden's office when we mentioned Solyndra," Levit wrote.

A few days later, Mitchell described to Kaiser how Energy Secretary Steven Chu was "apparently staying involved in Solyndra's application" for a second loan guarantee

Snarky liberals are trying to turn Solyndra into a joke, as if it's just some all-purpose conservative boogeyman. When I was on MSNBC and someone mentioned Solyndra (a rarity on MSNBC), former Green Jobs Czar Van Jones made a big fake yawn.

But now, with these emails, we've got Obama fundraisers saying false things about lobbying, and the White House passing on those false things. We've also got a senior energy department official pushing for this subsidy while his wife's law firm represented Solyndra. Energy Department officials rewrote the law in order to aid Solyndra.

It doesn't look pretty. Liberals can mock Solyndra, and MSNBC's primetime shows can pretend it doesn't exist, but that doesn't mean no corruption happened.

"We're going to punish our enemies and we're gonna reward our friends," President Obama famously told Hispanics in a Univision interview before last year's midterm election. And as Dr. James Hansen has just learned, your status as Obama's "friend" or "enemy" can flip fast.

Last Friday, at precisely the moment Herman Cain was basking in applause at a conservative activists' gathering in Washington, Newt Gingrich was in a small conference room at the Marriott Hotel here, discussing cognitive illness with three brain scientists....

Gingrich often says he is running an unconventional campaign. Republicans here in Iowa would probably agree, since they don't see him all that much at traditional stump events. But most have no idea just how unconventional the Gingrich campaign really is.

Ohio: As expected -- and lamentably -- Gov. John Kasich's landmark collective bargaining reform law has gone down in flames, thanks to a well-funded and relentless program of demagoguery by Buckeye State Democrats and public sector unions. The margin isn't close; as of this writing, it stands at 61-39 to overturn the law. This is a satisfying, but unsustainable, victory for the Left. They may have beaten back an evil conservative law, but a fiscal reckoning still awaits. The math doesn't go away, even if the law does. What liberals won't mention is that there was another significant item on the ballot today: A referendum on Obamacare's tent-pole individual mandate. Ohioans' rebuke of Obamacare is shaping up to be even more overwhelming than the Issue 2 tally. Right now the margin in favor of the anti-Obamacare measure is 66-34. This is the second major swing-state repudiation of Obamacare since it was enacted last March.

Virginia: What a bloodbath in the House of Delegates. Republicans will emerge from tonight with at least a 2/3 majority, having picked up a minimum of 6 seats, if not 7 or 8. To add insult to injury, they also knocked off the Democratic Minority Leader in District 9.

Mississippi: Republican Phil Bryant handily won the Governor's mansion, which is being vacated by the term-limited Gov. Haley Barbour. A GOP hold. A human life "personhood" referendum also failed in this solidly pro-life state. Some liberals are excited about this development, but many major pro-life groups actually opposed the measure.

In the Federal Register of November 8, 2011, Acting Administrator of Agricultural Marketing David R. Shipman announced that the Secretary of Agriculture will appoint a Christmas Tree Promotion Board. The purpose of the Board is to run a “program of promotion, research, evaluation, and information designed to strengthen the Christmas tree industry’s position in the marketplace; maintain and expend existing markets for Christmas trees; and to carry out programs, plans, and projects designed to provide maximum benefits to the Christmas tree industry” (7 CFR 1214.46(n)). And the program of “information” is to include efforts to “enhance the image of Christmas trees and the Christmas tree industry in the United States” (7 CFR 1214.10).

To pay for the new Federal Christmas tree image improvement and marketing program, the Department of Agriculture imposed a 15-cent fee on all sales of fresh Christmas trees by sellers of more than 500 trees per year (7 CFR 1214.52). And, of course, the Christmas tree sellers are free to pass along the 15-cent Federal fee to consumers who buy their Christmas trees.

The conversation apparently began with President Obama criticizing Sarkozy for not having warned him that France would be voting in favor of the Palestinian membership bid in UNESCO despite Washington's strong objection to the move.

The conversation then drifted to Netanyahu, at which time Sarkozy declared: "I cannot stand him. He is a liar." According to the report, Obama replied: "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!"

The remark was naturally meant to be said in confidence, but the two leaders' microphones were accidently left on, making the would-be private comment embarrassingly public.

Almost 55,000 Humboldt County voters will have the chance today to cast their ballots in school board and special district races, as well as one heated measure in the Fortuna area. But, without a single countywide race or measure, there's been little hubbub leading up to today.

”There's not a lot about it on TV -- there aren't any of those annoying campaign commercials to remind people that this is going on,” said Humboldt State University government lecturer Kathleen Lee. “I suspect if you ask 50 people, 'What do you know about the election (Tuesday),' most will probably say, 'There's an election?'”

...(Humboldt County Registrar of Voters Carolyn) Crnich said Humboldt County is also rolling out a pilot project today in which it will use an electronic poll book at five locations.

In the past, Crnich said voters who showed up at the wrong polling place were simply asked to cast a provisional ballot but, with the pilot system, she said poll workers will be able to enter the wayward voters' name and bring up their correct polling location. This, she said, will give the wayward voter a choice of casting a provisional ballot at the incorrect polling place or traveling to the correct one to cast a normal ballot.

Crnich said she's also hopeful the electronic poll books will help speed the closing procedures at the end of the day, leading to faster election results and a shorter day for poll workers.

Anyone who is unsure of their polling location, Crnich said, is also advised to visit www.smartvoter.org.◼ http://www.smartvoter.org/

De Modena plans to kick off her campaign on Nov. 17 at the grand opening of her Eureka office at 336 Grotto St. The catered event will go from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. More information is available online at annette4supervisor.com.

De Modena currently serves as a member of the Sequoia Zoo Foundation board, the League of Women Voters, Humboldt Sponsors, Humboldt Arts Docents and the KEET fundraising committee. She served on the grand jury for 2010-2011. Before retiring, she taught for 28 years, 24 of which were at Zane Junior High. She served as the language arts department chair and student government advisor and received a Humboldt Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010.

According to a press release, De Modena plans to focus on creating living-wage employment with benefits, establishing affordable housing, improving fire and police protection, improving water and wastewater infrastructure, improving county roads and trails and promoting environmental restoration and responsible land use.

”It is my promise that your voice will be heard and that I will work for you and our community, building without destroying, and strengthening without compromising the quality of life we all enjoy,” De Modena wrote in a press release. “Sadly, many families in the district are struggling to find jobs that pay a living wage and have all but given up hope of owning a home in the area. It does not have to be this way.”

Over the past two decades, according to Gallup, the percentage of Americans describing themselves as conservative has gradually increased, rising from 36 percent who said they were conservative in 1992.

Conventional wisdom says GOP voters are unenthusiastic with their candidates. The evidence suggests otherwise.... It's ...now taken as received wisdom that Republicans are unenthusiastic about their candidates, but evidence suggests otherwise. In the Aug. 18-22 Associated Press poll, 64% of Republicans said they were "satisfied" with the GOP field, up from 52% in June. The Sept. 25-27 Fox News poll found 63% of Republicans "impressed" with their choices, up from 44% in April. By comparison, in a mid-October 1991 CBS/New York Times poll, only 18% of Democrats were "satisfied" with their field and 64% wanted someone else to enter the race.

With the addition of three new members at its Nov. 3 meeting, Humboldt County's Republican Central Committee has come to full strength of 23, plus three ex-officio members (or their designated alternates).

New members elected at the meeting were George Benzel, Carlotta, a one-time committee chairman; Rebecca Crosby, Eureka, homemaker; and Byron (Bud) Simpson, Eureka, owner of a personnel services business.

”This is the first time in recent years that the Republican committee has been at full strength,” said Peter Hannaford, committee chairman.

Plans were also announced for the committee's first Holiday Treats sale, offering pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving, pumpkin and pecan pies and cinnamon rolls for Christmas and specially developed Bella Baskets. Volunteer party bakers will provide pies and rolls. All items will be available through the party's local website, www.humboldtgop.org, and by direct mail. ◼ The Times-Standard

As he has with the prior accusations, Cain on Monday denied any wrongdoing. In a statement, his campaign highlighted the involvement of Allred, an attorney who has represented many celebrities and supported feminist causes, and called the accusations a distraction.

“All allegations of harassment against Mr. Cain are completely false. Mr. Cain has never harassed anyone,” the statement said. “Fortunately the American people will not allow Mr. Cain’s bold 9-9-9 plan, clear foreign policy vision and plans for energy independence to be overshadowed by these bogus attacks.”

Last month, I wrote that the Occupy Wall Street organization looked like a child from a marriage between Animal Farm and Animal House. In an insider account written by an Occupier alarmed at the hijacking of the movement — and its funding — from the OWS “General Assembly,” it’s clear that the analogy didn’t go quite far enough. It’s Animal Farm meets Animal House, all right, but with Niedermeyer running the Deltas.

On Sunday, October 23, a meeting was held at 60 Wall Street. Six leaders discussed what to do with the half-million dollars that had been donated to their organization, since, in their estimation, the organization was incapable of making sound financial decisions. The proposed solution was not to spend the money educating their co-workers or stimulating more active participation by improving the organization’s structures and tactics. Instead, those present discussed how they could commandeer the $500,000 for their new, more exclusive organization. No, this was not the meeting of any traditional influence on Wall Street. These were six of the leaders of Occupy Wall Street (OWS)....

When I pointed out the contradictions these differences present to the Council’s stated principles, the leaders of Sunday’s teach-in insisted that the Spokes Council was the most participatory, democratic organization possible—the same slogan they repeated last month about the General Assembly. I felt like I was watching a local production of Animal Farm..... Read the whole account

The bronze statue was just dedicated last month in Newport Beach, Calif. It remains in the park, but is broken off its foundation and is tilting forward after someone attempted to pull it down, the Orange County Register reported.

On 11-04-2011, Officers of the Eureka Police Department responded to several crimes involving subjects who appear to be affiliated with the “Occupy Eureka” group.

At about 8:09 am, Officers responded to the 5th Street branch of US Bank for a biohazard report. A US Bank representative reported that she came to work to find an unknown subject(s) had urinated and defecated in the entry way to the bank. This is the second occurrence of this type at US Bank this week.

While taking the biohazard report, the officer was also advised that a complaint had been made to US Bank by a customer concerning being surrounded and harassed by subjects from the “Occupy” group, when they attempted to use the US Bank ATM.

At about 10:04 am, the Eureka Police Department responded to the “Occupy Eureka” campsite at the Humboldt County Courthouse for an assault report. Officers contacted members of the media, who had been assaulted while interviewing members of “Occupy Eureka”. The media reported that while they were conducting an interview, an “Occupy Eureka” member stepped forward and pushed the camera man and reporter. He then fled.

Also recovered at the “Occupy Eureka” campsite was a stolen Walgreens sign which was returned to Walgreens.

The Eureka Police Department would like to warn citizens to be cautious when using the ATMs or banking in the downtown area of Eureka, due to increased aggressive behavior by this group.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton defended the Obama administration’s strategy of “fight, talk and build” while dealing with the terrorists. She said part of the reason for the administration’s approach is to test whether the terrorist groups “have any willingness to negotiate in good faith.”

Welcome

Hi, I'm John Schutt, chairman of the Humboldt County Republican Central Committee: Want to get involved? We need republicans for open spots on the central committee, committee seats, letters to the editor writers, and more. Send me your thoughts and ideas on making Humboldt great again. Please feel free to call the office (442-2259) or leave a message here (or on Facebook) and I will get back to you as soon as possible.